Why didn't Spitfire help in Hurricane Fluttershy?

[ggg-2 3,553]

In Hurricane Fluttershy, eight Pegasi were out sick with the Feather Flu, meaning they were eight Pegasi short so they thought they couldn't even get the water up to Cloudsdale, let alone even think about breaking the record they wanted, and Spitfire was in charge of supervising the process. But when the Pegasi struggled to get the water up to Cloudsdale, Spitfire, despite being a Pegasus, AND being captain of the Wonderbolts, AND being RIGHT THERE, just stood there doing nothing. why?

Edited August 6, 2014 by ggg-2

[Thunderstreak 136]

Cause she believed in Fluttershy the whole time. :3

[boiteporte 591]

Because it was not her job to help. She was merely there to supervise.

Maybe if things really got out of hands (hooves, lol), then she would help. But it never turned out that bad..

 

Besides, it was also some sort of contest, so it would be unfair if she intervened,

[11th Doctor Whooves 794]

Yeah, the whole point of it was to use Ponyville ponies to get the water into the clouds, if she'd stepped in, it would have been like her saying Ponyville wasn't good enough.

 

I think she would have stepped in if they'd been unable to without her help, as boiteport said.

[Orablanco Account 3,707]

Because the writers simply forgot she was there Because it's Rainbow Dash's job as the town's weather manager to get that done herself. Spitfire is just there to observe and see if they pass the record.

[Old Fluttershy 349]

In the beginning Rainbow Dash pointed out that they were trying to beat a record. So if Spitfire did help out it wouldn't be fair to the other cities who didn't need her help. Although I have to say that she probably would have helped if she really needed to.

[Derpaholic 1,155]

Stop making excuses. Spitfire didn't help them out because of the convenience of the story.
It's a plot hole, pure and simple.
Hehe, "plot hole"... Yeah, I'm an immature 12-year-old, whatever, shut up!

Edited August 6, 2014 by Derp My Life

[Seiko Shinohara 35]

Spitfire didn't help as she represents cloudsdale and rainbow dash would represent cloudsdale. There was a competition on as well for which place could get the highest wingpower.

[Glesando 4]

I think that Spitfire had more important things to do, really. She's basically head of the pegasi, the top gun. The best of the best of the best, etc. She was probably making new academy records or something!

[GrauWitz 1,010]

There are three reasons why Spitfire didn't help out

 

1) Plot convenience

2) She's a complete asshole

3) All of the above!

 

Personally, I say it's all of the above . Oh, and no bullshit excuses like "It wasn't her job"

Edited August 8, 2014 by GrauWitz

[Invincible 2,092]

Why not call in more Pegasi from Cloudsdale in the first place then?

 

You see, they weren't really in danger - they could just give up (Rainbow was against the idea which is why they tried again). I'm guessing they'd just get another team to do it for them. It was for record's sake, which they gave the Pegasi of Ponyville the honors of doing it themselves. That's why Spitfire didn't intervene. That's what i think anyway.

[Vertigo_95 572]

Here is why she didn't help. (This is one of my favorite comics.)

 

[rpc8169 238]

I can agree it was just for the story because if SpitFire had helped, it would have messed with the lesson the episode was pushing. It would be then about accepting help from others rather than about not underestimating how much you can help. 

[Pastel 7,630]

Here is why she didn't help. (This is one of my favorite comics.)

 

 

Oh no, not this again.

I absolutely hate how Twilight is portrayed here.

[sweetolebob18 728]

What GrauWitz said + the fact that, over all, the Wonderbolts are about as useful as a parachute on a submarine.

[Megas 27,957]

Because she wasn't supposed to

[twiia 1,843]

Spitfire is from cloudsdale, not ponyville. end of story

[Ziggy + Angel + Rain 11,304]

Spitfire wasn't meant to intervene.  The episode was about Rainbow Dash taking charge, supporting Fluttershy, and demonstrating her leadership skills and flying prowess Fluttershy proving - not least of all, to herself - that she had something worthwhile to contribute; a contribution that could only be made by overcoming her own personal obstacles.

[SilverStarApple 850]

Spitfire-loving reasons:

 

1. It wasn't her job.

2. She's from Cloudsdale, not Ponyville. Make of that what you will.

3. She was busy with something super important, like saving Soren from a heart attack or whatever.

 

Non-Spitfire0waif reasons

 

1. She sucks.

2. She's not a very nice pony.

3. She's a terrible leader of the wonderbolts.

4. She/s spectacularly jealous of the young and record-breaking amazing Rainbow Dash, and she will do ANYTHING to keep her on the team while looking better than her.

[cmarston1 5,962]

She just didn't feel like it at the time.

Either that or the writers didn't want her to.  

Edited February 13, 2016 by cmarston1

[That Guy with the CMB 5,876]

I know RD was supposed to take charge and Fluttershy was supposed to learn a lesson from it, but this situation seemd like it was kind of an emergency, so Spitfire should have just hopped in. Seriously, Wonderbolt pone, learn what you're doing. >.>

[Cwanky 17,653]

The answer is very simple here. In Hurricane Fluttershy, Fluttershy is the protagonist. She's intended to be the one that overcomes the obstacles and saves the day. It would make little sense in that context for the likes of Spitfire and yes Rainbow Dash to save the day, which would derail the point of the episode. There's a reason why her name is in the title.

 

Besides that if you really wanted to entertain the notion, its a classic police are incompetent trope, with Spitfire being the police along with the other helpless pegasi. Even if Spitfire could help, the likely outcome, as it has been in many episodes including Sonic Rainboom and Secret of My Excess would be that she's of limited help. 

 

Writing purposes aside, it would not be entirely surprising nor inconsistent that Spitfire was incompetent or unwilling to show leadership. Like it or not, this has been a consistent flaw of the Wonderbolts, Spitfire included. In retrospect now, its just far more predictable than it once was before we truly knew the Wonderbolts.

[cider float 2,539]

She wasn't part of Ponyville wouldn't be fair for other towns that set their record without her help. I think Spitfire is from Cloudsdale. 

[twiia 1,843]

She wasn't part of Ponyville wouldn't be fair for other towns that set their record without her help. I think Spitfire is from Cloudsdale. 

yeah thats totally true, and it also totally makes sense she wouldn't help.

[PinkieatHeart 208]

Because Spitfire's too big and fancy for that stuff. Her job is to do the shouting and the supervising, like the cool ponies do. XP